Hiezechiel is the Latin form of the Hebrew name Ezekiel, used in certain portions of the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible completed by Jerome in the late 4th century. While the more familiar Latin rendering of the prophet's name is Ezechiel, the variant Hiezechiel appears in some Vulgate manuscripts, reflecting a transliteration closer to the Hebrew original Yeḥezqel.
Etymology
Like its Hebrew source, Hiezechiel carries the meaning "God will strengthen" — derived from the roots ḥazaq (to strengthen) and ʾel (God). This name thus conveys a message of divine empowerment, fitting for the prophet Ezekiel, whose ministry called the exiled Israelites to hope for restoration.
In the Vulgate, this name appears as Hiezechiel particularly in later books such as Chronicles and Judith, whereas Ezekiel is more common in the prophetic book bearing his name. The spelling variation, with an h after the initial consonant, mirrors the Greek Iezekiel and reflects the velar pronunciation of Hebrew ḥet (ח), which had no exact Latin equivalent.
Historical Usage
As a biblical name confined to scholarly and liturgical contexts, Hiezechiel never saw widespread adoption as a personal name, unlike its vernacular forms (e.g., Spanish Ezequiel, English Ezekiel). In Eras of Latin-Christian learning, however, theologians like Hiezechiel de Vita (a 12th-century commentator) bore the name, demonstrating its presence in monastic and academic circles. Today, it remains a rare name, primarily recognized in biblical studies as an alternative textual reading.
Related forms include Hiezecihel, a further Alation, and the Greek Iezekiel. In Swedish bibles, the name appears as Hesekiel, and in modern diminutives such as Zeke have derived from Ezekiel. The name primarily persists in European religious histories and manuscript Transmission.
- Meaning: God will strengthen
- Origin: Latin form of Hebrew Ezekiel
- Type: Biblical name
- Usage: Limited to Latin contexts of the Vulgate